


The Mulders

by Baroness_Blixen



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 11:19:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9893570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Baroness_Blixen/pseuds/Baroness_Blixen
Summary: Written for leiascully‘s XF writing challenge: 2017 on tumblr: Mulder muses about his family and the new year.





	

On New Year’s Day 2017, at precisely 12.04 a.m., Fox Mulder decides that this is going to be his year. Scully is in his arms, leaning against him, and he feels the smile on her face rather than he sees it. The fireworks blast colors into the sky, popping like popcorn on movie night. This is his life now. For once, he is not dreading the new year. He is not thinking about government conspiracies, little grey men or unmentionable monsters. No, all he thinks about is the woman in his arms, the love of his life, and their miracle standing a few feet away, lost in his own, new world. His mind, for once, is beautifully quiet, merely humming along to someone singing Auld Lang Syne. So yes, this is it, he thinks. This is the year of Fox Mulder.

“You’re awfully quiet.” Scully whispers against his chest, softly kissing him. He can feel her lips even through his clothes and after all this time, it makes him shiver. Mulder chuckles, running his hand over Scully’s back, slowly. 

“I remember times you told me to shut up.”

“I never, Mulder.” There’s a smile in her voice. She tightens her arms around him, as if trying to keep them both in this moment forever. Or at least another minute. As they both know, there is no forever. The thought, however, no longer fills him with regret. Not too long ago, he was certain he would never feel the blanket of sadness ever lift off him. He thought he’d lost his son forever. In the end, forever is just another word. A concept, not tangible. Not real. 

“Hm, of course not. You love my voice.”

“I do love your voice. So, what are you thinking? Any plans for this brand new year you care to tell me about?” She lifts her head, her chin on his chest, looking up. Her eyes sparkle brightly. 

“Hm, no.”

“No?”

“No. Why does that surprise you so much?” Mulder laughs.

“I guess I’m more used to you spewing off ideas and theories.” 

“I’m old, Scully. I leave the crazy ideas to the new generation.” Scully moves against him, stands in front of him now, her back to his chest. She’s warm, soft, and he engulfs her in his arms. Now they’re both watching the boy at the railing, smiling into the sky, watching the fireworks.

“He looks happy, doesn’t he?” She asks Mulder, gently stroking his arm that’s across her stomach. Her fingers tickle his skin, almost distract him, and he lightly tightens his grip. 

“He does.” Will, just like the two of them, is not alone. There are other children next to him; kids, whose parents thought spending New Year’s Eve on a ship would be a good idea, too. Will had rolled his eyes when Mulder and Scully informed him about their plan to spend the day on a cruise ship. ‘It’s for old people’, the boy had complained. He was no longer the shy, quiet boy they had taken in more than six months ago. Will was a full-fledged teenager, who felt too old to spend New Year’s with his parents – on a ship of all places! Finally, though, he relented. 

Looking at him now, Mulder knows their son is enjoying himself; he is drawn to water, the ocean, the love for it embedded in his genetics. His son is gesticulating wildly with his arms, his grin never leaving his face. Mulder knows his son well enough now to know that he’s explaining something to the girl next to him. A girl, he figures, who is around Will’s age. Her long, blond hair is waving around her, almost like a scarf, and she’s hugging herself, probably cold. If only he could tell his son that; tell him to give her his coat. 

Instead Mulder, and Scully, can only watch. Just like the girl is watching their son. Her mouth is open slightly, as if to say something and yet not certain how to put it into words. Mulder remembers what this feels like; the newness of feelings you can’t place, that are difficult to understand. His son, bless him, has only eyes for the sky. For the science that is taking place there in the sky. Mulder knows what Will is telling the girl, because he explained it to him only last week. His son’s big blue eyes had barely blinked, too curious, too much in need of knowledge. Eventually he had sent him to Scully, who could fill the few blanks that he didn’t know about.  

“I wish we could have…” Scully starts, reminding Mulder of the present. She breaks off, clears her throat in an attempt not to cry. He knows what she’s thinking; he’s been thinking the same for so long. If only they could have. But that’s in the past now. This is a new year, his year, he reminds himself. There are no regrets. They can’t turn back the time; they’ll never know what it’s like to hear Will’s first words. To help him take his first steps. His first day of school is something Will can tell them about, but they’ll never know. But Mulder doesn’t have regrets now. They’ll be here for this instead. Will falling in love for the first time. His first heartbreak. They’ll teach him to drive a car. Soon, if Will has anything to say about it. He’s been begging Mulder for weeks now. They’ll see him graduate school. They’ll have a future with him. 

“Hey, we’re here now. He’s here now. No regrets, Scully. That’s my plan for 2017.”

“No regrets?” 

“Yes, it’ll be the year of no regrets. The year of Fox Mulder,” his eyes catch his son, the way he anxiously sweeps his chestnut hair out of his eyes, “the year of the Mulders.” He finishes.

“What?” Scully laughs.

“Yes, the Mulders. This is going to be our year, Scully.”

“I’m not a Mulder, you know. Not officially, anyway.”

“We can always change that.” He mumbles into her hair, kissing her, and reveling in the soft smell. A whiff of strawberry, but mostly her. He feels drunk on her scent.

“Hm, ask me again later.”

“You sound like a Magic 8 Ball, Scully.” Mulder leans down, kissing her neck. In that moment, Will turns to them. Seeing them being this affectionate, he screws up his face, and quickly turns back. Mulder chuckles.

“We’re embarrassing our son.”

“That’s fine with me.” 

It’s fine with Mulder, too. He lifts his head, never letting go of Scully, and watches the fireworks. There are so many people they can no longer share this with. His whole family, Scully’s mother, little Emily. The losses are etched in every line on her face, and his, too. But now there’s hope. A lanky teenager, grinning at the sky, full of life. 


End file.
